overview of existing cape science · pdf fileoverview of existing cape science syllabi. declan...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABICAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI
Declan HiveGeography Teacher (IERE High School)
Seminar for CAPE Science TeachersJune 16th 2006
![Page 2: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
General trends in CAPE…….• Environment/ sustainable development now a
core topic across many CAPE syllabi– new syllabus on Environmental Studies– core elements included in Geography, Biology,
Chemistry, Caribbean Studies– elective in Physics/ French/ Spanish syllabi
• Stronger focus on:– local/ regional case studies and examples– field work– data collection techniques and research methodologies
![Page 3: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
• From Cambridge GCE to CAPE, environment/ sustainable development component reduced in some subjects– eg. Biology
• Some subjects have a stronger environmental component at O’level–eg. Geography
![Page 4: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
• Why include environmental studies?‘to foster positive attitudes, values and commitment
to identifying, solving and preventing environmental problems’
• Cross curricula approach good• But many problems to date
To what extent can the syllabi achieve above objective?
![Page 5: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Agriculture
*Pollution
*Climate change
Industry
*Tourism
Sustainable Development
*Natural resources
*Human/ Ecosystem interactions
Diversity
Ecosystems
CaribStudies
ChemBioGeog CXC
GeogEnviroScience
![Page 6: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Environmental SciencesEnvironmental SciencesUNIT 1: Ecology, People and Natural Resources• Fundamental ecological principles• People and the environment• Sustainable use of natural resourcesUNIT 2: Agriculture, Energy and Environmental
Pollution• Sustainable agriculture• Sustainable energy use• Pollution of the Environment
![Page 7: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Environmental Sciences…….Environmental Sciences…….
Unit 1: Module 1Unit 1: Module 1• Investigate at least two ecosystems in Trinidad
and Tobago– Abiotic
• including species diversity
investigation at small scale eg. in and around school
However larger-scale investigation of ecosystems required ……
![Page 8: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Environmental Sciences…….Environmental Sciences…….
UNIT 1: Module 2– Benefits provided for humans
• including freshwater (strong focus)– Human impacts
• Indirect – population growth, demographics, poverty• Direct - overexploitation; habitat destruction;
pollution; exotic species– Mitigation options
• including evaluating response options
Sustainable Development (concept)
![Page 9: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Environmental Sciences…….Environmental Sciences…….
UNIT 1: Module 3• Caribbean natural resources
– Location– Distribution– Harvesting and use– Environmental impacts of use– Tools for management (eg. EIAs, land use planning,
PAs, education etc…)– Indigenous people and natural resources
![Page 10: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Environmental Sciences…….Environmental Sciences…….
• Packaging of UNIT 1 not very comprehensive
• Overlapping topics and concepts
• Links across modules not very clear
![Page 11: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Environmental Sciences…….Environmental Sciences…….
UNIT 2: Agriculture, Energy and Environmental Pollution
• Generally sections on Sustainable Energy and Pollution have a fairly broad focus
• Section on Sustainable Agriculture focuses heavily on Caribbean– agricultural systems– role of agriculture in Caribbean– technical/ economic and socio-environmental issues
![Page 12: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
ChemistryChemistry• Water pollution
– sources and impacts
• Industrial pollution– air pollution
• Climate change– link to industrial pollution
• Solid waste management
![Page 13: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
BiologyBiology
• Ecosystem functioning– must identify an ecosystem– must conduct fieldwork
• Species diversity– related to ecosystem stability
![Page 14: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
GeographyGeography
• Soil/ Vegetation/ Climate/ Human nexus• Impacts of economic activities on the
environment– Tourism– Agriculture
• Development in the Caribbean– models– indices– policies
![Page 15: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Caribbean StudiesCaribbean Studies• Natural and man-made disasters
– hurricanes– soil erosion– coral reef destruction
• Concepts and indicators of development– including environmental factors
• Elective on the Environment: – pollution; solid waste management; disasters; housing
growing populations; parks and national heritage…
![Page 16: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Summary of CaribbeanSummary of Caribbean--specific specific information requiredinformation required
• Ecosystems and humans– named local/ regional examples
• Major natural resources in Caribbean– location/ distribution/ patterns in use
• Natural and man-made disasters• Caribbean Development
– Agriculture– Tourism– Industry
![Page 17: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Data collection techniques and Research methodologies
• Ecological sampling methods– fieldwork
• Qualitative methods of data collection – surveys, interviews, questionnaires
• Research skills– sourcing information (internet, books, etc.)– presenting information (reports)
![Page 18: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Presenting information….• Concept maps
– eg. Biology: emphasis should be placed on the use of charts and the creation of concept maps rather than excessive biochemical detail
• Statistical tools– graphs, charts, tables
• Posters
• Debates
![Page 19: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Main challenges faced by teachers• Resource material scarce
– especially related to local/ regional examples– those provided by syllabus inadequate or outdated
• Where information exists, difficult for teachers to sift and condense
• Depth of information required not clear from syllabi– mismatch between syllabus requirements and exam
questions
![Page 20: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Main challenges faced by teachers• Timeframe for completing some aspects of syllabi
unrealistic– especially for syllabi with heavy research
components
• Many requirements in syllabus vague– use of language and terms unclear– eg. Geography Unit 2: Module 1 – The opportunities
and problems associated with the development of the rain forests?????
• Meeting fieldwork requirements difficult– eg. identifying suitable locations
![Page 21: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Some ideas about help required..Some ideas about help required..Chemistry syllabus suggests…….
establish contact with environmental groups (NGO’s, CBO’s) and the Environmental Management Authorities in their territories
• good start• should also include the University• should not be ad-hoc • Ministry of Education can help to co-ordinate
![Page 22: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Some ideas about help required..Some ideas about help required..• Local examples being developed – good source
of information– Northern Range Assessment– Caribbean Sea Assessment– Nariva swamp exercise– Any others???
• Information must reach schools in a form that can easily be used
• May eventually consider developing a local Case Study booklet– similar to Prosser for GCE
![Page 23: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Some ideas about help required..Some ideas about help required..• Important to include teachers (and students) in
development of resource material
• Better dialogue between teachers within each school
• Better dialogue between schools– Geography/ Environmental Sciences Teachers’
Association
• Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged to be involved in environmental extra-curricula activities
![Page 24: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Some ideas about help required..Some ideas about help required..
Syllabi• Some aspects of the syllabi require revision
– Clarification of:• Terms• Depth of information required
– Updated resource lists (including website)– Better co-ordination of syllabi with examination
questions– Repackaging some aspects of the Environmental
Sciences syllabus???
![Page 25: OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE · PDF fileOVERVIEW OF EXISTING CAPE SCIENCE SYLLABI. Declan Hive. ... • Teaching environmental studies may be made more effective if schools encouraged](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022081323/5a7153367f8b9abb538cb42e/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Thank you